WO2021255294A1

WO2021255294A1 - True roll to roll in-line manufacturable large area battery and capacitor cells, battery and capacitor stacks

Info

Publication number: WO2021255294A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/066844
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pascal VANLUCHENE; Kristof Proost
Original assignee: Audere Ag; P&D Projects Bvba
Priority date: 2020-06-19
Filing date: 2021-06-21
Publication date: 2021-12-23

Abstract

The invention relates to battery and capacitor arrangements, solutions, systems, packs, modules, and cells, materials used therein as part of the electrode, anode, cathode, separator, dielectric and/or in the manufacturing process of an electric storage device or cell such as batteries, capacitor or any intermediate or final product, the manufacturing processes themselves and any advantageous uses enabled by the particular type of battery or capacitor obtained.

Description

TRUE ROLL TO ROLL IN-LINE MANUFACTURABLE LARGE AREA BATTERY AND CAPACITOR CELLS,

BATTERY AND CAPACITOR STACKS

Field of the invention

Background of the invention

A variety of batteries and capacitors, in particular with respect to their internal material system, making the battery and capacitor operational. The performance of these variety of batteries and capacitors is to be judged relative to the cost of manufacturing thereof and the resulting metric determines and today actually limits also the potential uses to the presently known batteries and capacitors.

Today, further innovation of batteries and capacitors relies on further optimization within the paradigm of the existing manufacturing processes, characterized in that the parts of the battery and capacitor such as anode, cathode, separator and dielectric are made by separate distinct processes and assembled thereafter, which is the root cause of the cost issues described above.

This is further described in PCT/EP2019/086411, hereby fully incorporated by reference.

Aim of the invention

It is the aim of the invention to solve the above issue by starting from an entirely different manufacturing paradigm.

Summary of the invention

It is a first aspect of the invention to provide a manufacturing method for a battery and capacitor cell by for at least two parts of said battery and capacitor cell use foil or sheet based manufacturing, and thereafter combining both generated parts in a further foil or sheet based manner.

It is a second aspect of the invention to provide, in the spirit of the first aspect of the invention, suitable foil or sheet based manufacturing of one or more of said parts, more in particular methods of manufacturing benefiting of such selected foil or sheet based method, in particular by either combining the manufacturing of such parts (such as anode or cathode with the separator) and/or starting from easier (providable in roll format) materials for such anode or cathode (compared to more difficult to process material stacks resulting from further optimizing the prior-art methods of manufacturing).

In an embodiment of the invention extrusion coating processes are used for manufacturing of the separator, dielectric and/or the protecting part of the anode or cathode.

In an embodiment of the invention roll-to-roll aerosol processes such as graphene deposition from C02 are used for manufacturing of the protecting part of the anode or cathode.

In a further particular embodiment of the invention use of a foamed polymer or foamed polymer compound is provided.

In a further particular embodiment of the invention use of a classical or glass carbon separator is used.

In another embodiment of the invention use of a polymer with embedded metallic materials is provided for the protective layer or current collector of the anode, cathode or both. Also in an embodiment of the invention use of a polymer with embedded dielectric materials is provided for the dielectric in a capacitor cell.

In an embodiment of the invention coating processes are used for manufacturing of the anode or cathode, of which hence one of those or both become at least two layered.

It is worth emphasizing already at this stage, that when operating in the above outlined (combined) (in-line) roll-based approach, that also other processes (such as the providing of conductors for connecting purposes or insulators for cooling purposes while finishing the battery module or pack) can (and preferably are) embedded therein. Also those are preferably provided with an extrusion (coating) process for providing a material (possibly on a carrier material), suitable to act as current collector, as a (sheet or) foil (being part of a roll or coil), characterized in that said material comprises (or embeds) at least one and preferably a plurality of channels, suitable for device, cell or cell component condition sensing (such as temperature and strain) and/or electrical management and/or thermal management.

In a preferred embodiment one is providing with one or more (extrusion or liquid) coating processes one or more further materials on said material, preferably on each side thereof, to form a multi layered (partial) electrode structure, preferably a common structure (as part) of both the positive and the negative electrode of a cell or device while the structure preferably remains suitable for further use in roll to roll manufacturing and/or shipment in coil formats. It is also worth noting that when operating in the above outlined (combined) (in-line) roll-based approach alternative methods for customisation of battery cells, modules and packs during manufacturing can be used, in particular in varying the materials used in the extrusion coating and/or other for in-line suitable coating processes and/or the processing parameters of one or more of these steps.

For sake of completeness the above battery and capacitor (part) manufacturing method which will include at least one outlined foil or sheet-based manufacturing approach may be combined with off line or discontinuous processes also.

It is worth noting that part of the intermediate products could be of use also in PV systems to provide cooling or other functions thereto.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention relates to protection layer(s) and composite structure(s) for battery cells, capacitor cells or other charge storage cells including its battery cells, capacitor cells or other charge storage cells, its modules, packs, systems and energy storage solutions, manufacturing methods thereof and intermediate (semi-finished) products originating therefrom.

The invention is more in particular oriented towards use of at least one composite structure or at least one protection layer.

The invention is furthermore in particular focussed towards use of symmetrical battery cells with identical current collectors at both anode and cathode, preferably in symmetrical "anodeless" battery cells and whereby at least one composite structure or at least one protection layer allows the use of identical current collectors.

* Anodeless means that no active material is directly applied on the current collector of the anode, while active species originates from the electrolyte and are applied on the current collector during charging. It greatly simplifies the anode side, increases cell density, improves the safety and sustainability profile and is foremost cost effective.

Preferably at least one composite structure allows its use as the identical common current collector for both anode and cathode in battery cells.

In particular embodiments of an a.o. Al, Cu, TiN, CrN, Tungsten, Mo or Glassy Carbon protection layer(s) is introduced either as a layer on the current collector or on the composite structure(s) with similar particles in a polymer Preferably the particles in the composite structure(s) are the same as the species in the protection layer(s). Preferably at least one composite structure with such particles is the identical common current collector.

The battery cell may use a variety of separators, preferably a separator that can be extrusion coated on the identical current collector, or on the protection layer(s), the composite structure(s) or the active layer(s) and especially an extrusion coated foamed separator is put forward as advantageous embodiment.

The battery cell preferably has at least one composite structure with at least one channel for cell parameter sensing for SoC, SoP, SoE, SoH and cell balancing or cell thermal management .

Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment, denoted Target AICI3 and KFSI cell or single graphite cell, of such multi-layer battery cell, with a graphite layer (110), a TiN layer and a so-called composite layer (120) with multiple functions, and shows the particular embodiment of a foamed separator (140) and elements related to sensing (6000), out-going coolant (6010) and in-going coolant (6020). Note the arrow representing the direction for the roll to roll processing in the spirit of the invention. A similar arrow can be drawn in any of the following drawings but is omitted to enhance the readability.

Figure 2 shows another exemplary embodiment, denoted Target KFSI cell or dual graphite cell, of such multi-layer battery cell, with two graphite layers (110), a TiN layer and a so-called composite layer (120) with multiple functions, and shows the particular embodiment of a foamed separator (140).

Figure 3 shows another exemplary embodiment , denoted Dual Ion Dual Graphite Cell DUT, of such multi-layer battery cell, with two graphite layers (110), preferably 10mg/cm2, and two TiN based so- called composite layer (120) with multiple functions, and shows the particular embodiment of a foamed separator (140). Element (4010) illustrates that this can be with or without a matrix of cooling channels in the longitudinal direction; possibly plasma treated inside to increase capillarity.

Figure 4 shows another exemplary embodiment, also denoted Dual Ion Dual Graphite Cell DUT, of such multi-layer battery cell, with two graphite layers (110), preferably 35mg/cm2, a TiN layer and two TiN based so-called composite layer (120) with multiple functions, and shows the particular embodiment of a foamed separator (140).

(4000) illustrates the possible presence of a matrix of fiber and cooling channels in the longitudinal direction; plasma treated inside to increase capillarity for cooling channels and possibly a gel inside fiber channels for constant and ultra-low refractive index at the fiber interface (the lower the gel index the smaller the channels). (4010) shows fiber channels next to cooling channels in the depth direction of which close to the TiN layer for independent T sensing of cathode side and fiber channels close to Al for independent T sensing of anode side. Figure 5 shows another exemplary embodiment, also denoted 5M KFSI EC/DMC dual ion dual graphite battery cell, of such multi-layer battery cell, with two specific graphite layers (110), preferably Kish Graphite, and (110a), preferably Natural Graphite Large Flakes, and two TiN based so-called composite layer (120), for example, good, electrochemically stable and chemically inert conductor with e.g. TiN (> 70%) and shows the particular embodiment of a glass carbon separator (140). One may emphasize that the TiN layer is extruded or injection molded or extrusion coated on a metallic current collector or metallic primed polymer or paper foil.

Figure 6 shows another exemplary embodiment, also denoted Dual Ion Dual Graphite Cell DUT, of such multi-layer battery cell, with two graphite layers (110), preferably 10mg/cm2, and two TiN based so-called composite layer (120), and shows the particular embodiment of a glass carbon separator (140).

Figure 7 shows another exemplary embodiment, also denoted Li-ion Cell DUT of such multi-layer battery cell, with two specific layers (110 graphite and 110a NMC 523), and two TiN based so-called composite layer (120), and shows both the particular embodiment of classical or foamed separator (140).

As said the invention relates to intermediate (half-finished) products originating from roll-to-roll manufacturing methods of such intermediate (half-finished) products, which are finally combined to form one of the multi-layer (defining a stack of layers) battery cells or other charge storage devices described above.

Figure 8 shows many of those intermediate (half-finished or semi-finished) products. Special emphasis is given to the intermediate product in the lower left corner, with one graphite layer (110), on top of a composite (120), itself on top of an AL foil. (140) is here a Foamed Separator.

Figure 9 illustrates the use of such semi-finished goods in view of the required economics of the manufacturing process. (140) is here a Foamed Separator.

Figure 10 shows another semi-finished good, suitable in the context of convertors. Extrusion coating is meaningful when mass produced and high speeds required. The material shown can be rolled-up and shipped possible as such.

Figure 11 shows a semi-finished good, related to a TiN layer and a so-called composite layer (120) on top of an AL layer, suited for the cells of Figure 1, 2, 4, and hence pertains to use of TiN coaters when such extra TiN coating is needed, such is rolled-up and shipped or depending on thermal management needs, in order to save costs. Figure 12 shows, from the perspective of electrode makers, semi-finished goods with two graphite layers (110), optionally a TiN layer and a so-called composite layer (120), suitable for the cells of Figure 1, 2, 4. Preferably, when TiN is not needed, both graphite layers coated and dried same time.

Figure 13, 14 shows further alternative semi-finished goods, amongst other mentioning the co extrusion possibility to merge certain of those semi-finished goods. An exemplary ideal embodiment of a two sided with graphite coated composite is disclosed.

Figure 15 illustrates that finally a separator is added. Figure 15 (a) shows converters which need protection on this semi-finished good with fiber and cooling channels (and non-metallic elements). Figure 15 (b) shows integrated factory or regional hubs. (140) is here a Foamed Separator.

Figure 16 illustrates an alternative to Figure 15. (140) is here a Separator.

Figure 17 illustrates a possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods of such intermediate (half-finished) products, which are finally combined to form one of the multi-layer battery cells or other charge storage devices described above, and in particular shows the stacking or binning of these products or goods to make a cell or device, for example, a stack with common synthetic current collectors. The formation of the composite is shown with the addition of graphite, the addition of graphite on the other side and the formation of the separator afterwards. (5000) shows how a twin screw extruded or injection molded current collector with channels for thermal management is provided, in a preferred embodiment these are based on a mix of TiN, CrN, Tungsten or Mo with a polymer. Such current collector is also denoted an (entirely) synthetic current collector.

Figure 18 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods, for example, a Stack with common synthetic current collectors.

Figure 19 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods. The formation of the composite is shown with the addition of an insulator, the addition of graphite on the other side and the formation of the separator afterwards.

Figure 20 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods. The formation of the composite is shown with the addition of an insulator, the addition of graphite on the other side.

Figure 21 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods, for example, stack with common synthetic and Al current collectors, wherein a Graphite coating is likely to be done in batches with corresponding throughput to one line, the primed Al can be done by plastic converters. The formation of the separator is directly on top of the AL foil, the addition of composite is now on the other side, followed by the graphite layer. Figure 22 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods, for example, the second option of the bottom electrode of a stack. No separator is needed here, but to ensure a homogenous heat distribution next slide an alternative.

Figure 23 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods, for example, the third option of the bottom electrode of a stack. Separator is used here as isolator for homogenous heat distribution as it is applied on any intermediate cell, alternative without insulating plastic when separator is sufficient as insulation (actually it might transfer the heat too fast leading to non homogenous heat distributions in which case it is better to have the plastic insulation).

Figure 24 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods, for example, the fourth option of the bottom electrode of a stack. Only separator is here as insulator. Even with open cells, the current collector is an inert polymer with inert TiN particles.

Figure 25 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods, for example, the fifth option of the bottom electrode of a stack. Flere is the bottom separator possibly enough to isolate as package, hence first option as bottom electrode.

Figure 26 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods, for example, the first option of the top electrode of a stack.

Figure 27 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods, for example, the second option of the top electrode of a stack.

Figure 28 illustrates an alternative possible roll-to-roll manufacturing methods, for example, the second option of the top electrode of a stack in case when no thermal management is needed.

Figure 29 shows the final assembly of the storage device, for example, a stack with all three multi layer components.

Figure 30 illustrates the more general templates for these storage devices. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. TiN, Al, Cu, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (Al) is here Any conductive foil or sheet a.o. Al or any conductive foil suited for large web R2R coating processes.

Figure 31 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Li-ions, a.o. Graphite, Silicon, Graphene, etc or any active layer a.o. LTO, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. Cu, TiN, CrN, Tungsten, Mo, Glassy Carbon, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped, coated, ... PE/PP, Gel based Figure 32 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Li-ions, a.o. Graphite, Silicon, Graphene, etc or any active layer a.o. LTO, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. Cu, TiN, CrN, Tungsten, Mo, Glassy Carbon, ... in Polyprop or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped, coated, ... PE/PP, Gel based.

Figure 33 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Li-ions, a.o. Graphite, Silicon, Graphene, etc or any active layer a.o. LTO, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. Cu, TiN, CrN, Tungsten, Mo, Glassy Carbon, ... in Polyprop or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped, coated, ... PE/PP, Gel based.

Figure 34 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. Cu, TiN, CrN, Tungsten, Mo, Glassy Carbon, ... in Polyprop or other polymers. Figure 34 (A) illustrates a case, wherein anode side only of e.g. Li-ion cell and when same Al foil used from the existing Cathode side, bipolar stacking is possible. Figure 34 (B) illustrates a case, wherein cathode side only of e.g. Li-ion cell, but when Copper foil is used at anode side, no bipolar stacking is possible. Figure 34 (C) illustrates a case, wherein Both sides of e.g. Li-ion cell, bipolar stacking is possible.

Figure 35 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. Cu, TiN, CrN, Tungsten, Mo, Glassy Carbon, ... in Polyprop or other polymers. Figure 35 (A) illustrates a case, wherein anode side only of e.g. Li-ion cell and when same Al foil used from the existing Cathode side, bipolar stacking is possible. Figure 35 (B) illustrates a case, wherein cathode side only of e.g. Li-ion cell, but as Copper foil is used at anode side, no bipolar stacking is possible. Figure 35 (C) illustrates a case, wherein both sides of e.g. Li-ion cell, bipolar stacking is possible.

Figure 36 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. Preferably, Al foil is here as carrier for large web coating, as current collector and as conductive plate for electrodeposition of active species a.o. Al, K, ... forming a.o. new phases on or alloys with AL Both Al foils can be the same to form a symmetrical cell and to be able to process a laminate with separator and protection layers on each side followed by e.g. Graphite coating on at least one side and applicable to all following cells and semi-finished goods. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Graphite, Graphene, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. TiN, Al, Cu, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped, coated, ... PE/PP, Gel based. Figure 37 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. Preferably, Al foil is here as carrier for large web coating, as current collector and as conductive plate for electrodeposition of active species a.o. Al, K, ... forming a.o. new phases on or alloys with Al. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Graphite, Graphene, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. TiN, Al, Cu, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped, coated, ... PE/PP, Gel based.

Figure 38 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Graphite, Graphene, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. TiN, Al, Cu, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped, coated, ... PE/PP, Gel based.

Figure 39 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Graphite, Graphene, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. TiN, Al, Cu, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped, coated, ... PE/PP, Gel based.

Figure 40 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Graphite, Graphene, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. TiN, Al, Cu, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped, coated, ... PE/PP, Gel based.

Figure 41 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Graphite, Graphene, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. TiN, Al, Cu, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped, coated, ... PE/PP, Gel based.

Figure 42 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Graphite, Graphene, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. TiN, Al, Cu, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped or coated.

Figure 43 shows the more general templates for these storage devices. (110) is here any functional host for ions a.o. Graphite, Graphene, etc. (120) is here any functional composite structure a.o. TiN, Al, Cu, ... in Polypropylene or other polymers. (140) is here any functional separator a.o. assembled, taped or coated.

Figure 44 shows the more general templates for the semi-finished products. For example, "anodeless" and cathode single hosting or insertion cells with parallel or series stack of N cells (a) shows here composite structures only (b) shows here composite structures and protective layers. (110) is here an active layer(s), preferably Graphite. (120) is here a Composite structure(s), preferably an extrusion coated TiN polymer. (140) is here a separator, preferably extrusion coated foamed polymer.

Figure 45 shows the more general templates for the semi-finished products. For example, anode and cathode dual hosting or insertion cells with parallel or series stack of N cells (a) shows here composite structures only (b) shows here composite structures and protective layers. (110) is here an active layer(s), preferably Graphite. (120) is here a Composite structure(s), preferably an extrusion coated TiN, Cu or Al polymer. (140) is here a separator, preferably extrusion coated foamed polymer.

Figure 46 shows schematically a battery or capacitor (10) with its anode (20), its cathode, its separator or dielectric (40) and its electrolyte (50).

Figure 47 shows schematically a battery (10) with its anode (20), its cathode, its separator (40) and its electrolyte (50) more in particular the anode (or cathode) comprises now two layers (100, 130) of which one is provided as a foil or sheet via a roll while the other is provided via an in-line continuous coating process. For sake of completeness the coating steps (420, 300) can comprise of none or one or more coating steps.

Figure 48 shows an embodiment of the invention in accordance with the first aspect of the invention in that combinations of roll-based processes are used. Note hybrid combinations of at least one continuous in-line roll-based with multiple other in-line or off-line roll- or sheet based processes are also possible.

Figure 49 shows schematically a battery (10) with its anode (20), its cathode, its separator (40) and its electrolyte (50), manufacturable in accordance with the previous described method, more in particular both the anode and cathode comprises now two layers (100, 130 and 410, 430 respectively) of which one is provided as a foil or sheet via a roll while the other is provided via an in-line continuous coating process.

Figure 50 shows an embodiment wherein the (layered) foil (460) produced by any of the foil or sheet- based manufacturing methods is also provided on a roll (possibly at a place distant from its original production placed), further extra steps (1000) are applied like tabbing with conductive layers for wiring purposes and coating with insulating layers for heat sinking purposes (preferably at the outer edges of the (AL) foil (all around)) then cut at a desired length and thereafter a further processing step (such as for providing electrical and thermal conductors).

Figure 51 shows a large area cell manufacturing method based on bending or rolling the foil. Figure 52 illustrates a stack provided with heat exchange elements.

Detailed description of the invention

With specific reference now to the figures, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the different embodiments of the present invention only. They are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention. The description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

The invention relates to batteries and capacitors. While in batteries a separator and current collector are used, in capacitors a dielectric and capacitor plate are used instead.

The invention inspired by the need of a paradigm to cut the cost of batteries and capacitors drastically is related to a battery and capacitor (electrolyte neutral or agnostic) cell architecture and processing that allows to produce cells with mass volume production methods from totally unrelated industries and upon which the multiplication of production capacity can happen very fast and on a global scale. With a high multiplication factor, cost learning curves and related price erosions rippling through the value chain from material to battery and capacitor system production will be unprecedented and is the only sustainable strategy to preempt current state-of-the art cost ineffective Li-ion batteries and super capacitors for stationary energy storage. In the search for a novel cell architecture, in particular for batteries, it is important to pursue a battery cell type that allows to keep the cathode and anode as simple as possible, avoiding complexes, alloys or multi-layer structures and where both cell components can be produced with cheap well established production methods, preferably capable to implement battery cell types like the dual ion non-rocking chair cell where charge storage within the cell occurs at both sides at anode and cathode. Then both working ions should be hosted by the electrolyte in between both cell components and charge storage at both sides of the cell may occur via plate/strip, alloying/dealloying or graphite intercalation. Therefore, the electrode can be a bulk single atomic element metal substrate for certain ions migrating out of the electrolyte or a conventional graphite electrode for other ions. When a bulk single atomic element metal substrate is effective for ion charge storage it suddenly also serves as current collector to allow electronic charge transport outside the battery cell. In Li-ion cells each electrode has a separate substrate for the current collection next to an active layer for ion charge storage (both a graphite layer at the anode side and a complex alloy at the cathode side). When a graphite layer is needed for ion charge storage, then a separate substrate for current collection is required.

Figure 48 shows an embodiment of the invention in accordance with the first aspect of the invention in that combinations of roll based processes are used, in particular the anode (or cathode) is made with the processes, further on one of those the separator or dielectric is provided (with any of the embodiments described) and finally combined (450) and cut (260). Figure 48 hence shows a combined manufacturing process wherein layers or supports are provided with coatings, further one thereof is provided with a separator and thereafter the entire stack is combined before cutting.

For sake of clarity, in the suggested combined flow as shown in Figure 48 preferably the speeds of the rolls are adjusted to each other as schematically indicated by the dashed roll Further the suggested combined flow here also entirely a schematic representation and not a concrete outline of the manufacturing facility. It should be clear for instance that the combining step requires a turning of the obtained foil (440), e.g. by use of an additional roll element (not shown).

As the purpose is to provide a battery or capacitor (or at least materials suitable for forming one) implicitly the selected or resulting materials are characterized in that the ion transport for the electro chemistry system defined by the anode, cathode and electrolyte or the electron storage at anode and cathode must be operable. In particular the separator and the electrolyte which is substantially being provided inside part of said separator context is specifically designed therefore. Likewise, the dielectric elements being provided inside part of said dielectric context is specifically designed therefore.

A variety of embodiments are now described:

(1) In one embodiment a truly roll-to-roll process to generate an aluminum chloride-graphite battery is described. In order to produce this type of battery cell structure an aluminum -foil is used as an anode material or current collector. This aluminum foil is unrolled and is subsequently extrusion coated with an open-cell polymer foam, which is for example produced using CO or N as a physical blowing agent. The foam coating thickness is controlled by calendaring rolls. The extrusion coated polymer coating is acting as separator and can be formulated with an adhesion additive to allow for proper adhesion to the anode or current collector surface. Next to this, also a thermal or light-induced cross-linking of the polymer can be applied to improve the thermal and/or chemical resistance of the foam. The described structure is an anode or current collector foil with an in-line coated separator. In a separate step the cathode is prepared by coating a protective layer on a current collector via an in-line physical vapor deposition process. An example is a coating of TiN on an Aluminum foil. This double layered foil is subsequently coated on the earlier coated side with a graphite slurry. The anode part (Aluminum and) and the cathode part (current collector - protective layer - graphite) with in between the separator are together cut to the proper length, which depends on the desired capacity or energy rating of the battery or capacitor cell. Tabs for electrical wiring and insulating layers for heat sinking are coated on anode and cathode foils at appropriate places. A stack of alternating anode and cathode foils is formed and inserted in or coated again using the inline roll processes to form a packaging enclosure where an AICI₃- EMIMCI (l-methyl-3-ethylimidazolium chloride) anolyte is added to the packaging to form the battery cell, module or pack.

(2) In a second embodiment cathode and anode are produced in the same roll-to-roll process but the way of producing the separator foam is slightly different, where a chemical blowing agent is used instead of a physical blowing agent. The chemical blowing agent is added to the extruder and at a given polymer melt temperature the chemical foaming agent is decomposing and forming an inert gas (such as CO2 or N2), resulting in an open-cell structured foam at the exit sheet- or foil die.

(3) In a third embodiment a similar process can be imagined where the unrolled Aluminum foil is coated via extrusion coating with a polymer that contains a chemical blowing agent. The thickness of the coating is controlled by calendaring rolls. The extrusion coating is performed at a temperature that is lower than the decomposition temperature of the chemical blowing agent. If a proper thickness is achieved, the assembly is passing through an in-line oven with a temperature that is higher than the decomposition temperature of the chemical foaming agent. During this secondary heating step, the open-cell structure in the polymer coating is formed. An additional cross-linking agent can be added to the polymer melt that will simultaneously start to cross-link the polymer during the formation of the open cell structure to prevent the foam from collapsing. The rest of the battery pack or module is produced in the same way as described above.

(4) In a fourth embodiment the foamed open cell separator is not formed using an extrusion coating, but via a chemical polymerization reaction. Here, two liquids are mixed and coated on the Aluminum substrate, where a chemical reaction is taking place. An example can be the reaction of an isocyanate liquid and a diol with hydroxyl groups. In combination with a catalyst an open-cell polyurethane foam can be formed on the Aluminum substrate, resulting in an anode with in-line produced foamed polymer separator.

(5) In a fifth embodiment the in-line polymer foam can be produced on the cathode side. In this case, an Aluminum substrate is coated with a protective coating (for example TiN coating via physical vapor deposition). This assembly is then slurry-coated with a graphite slurry. After calendaring and drying the foamed polymer can be coated on top of the graphite surface using either the earlier described extrusion coating via physical or chemical foaming techniques. This assembly is then combined with an unrolled Aluminum foil and this assembly is cut at a specific length, placed in a packaging enclosure and filled with an anolyte.

(6) In a sixth embodiment an Aluminum foil is unrolled and coated with a graphite slurry. This assembly is subsequently coated on the graphite side with an extrusion coated polymer foil using a physical or chemical foaming method. Next to this, the polymer foam can also be produced using a chemical reaction as described in the 4^th embodiment. In a second roll-to- roll process the cathode is prepared by coating a substrate with a protective layer (such as TiN) via a physical vapor deposition process. This assembly is subsequently coated with a graphite slurry. The two coatings are merged and again the proper cell length is cut. The assembly is placed in a packaging enclosure and a KFSI salt based (potassium fluorosulfonylimide) electrolyte which is both an anolyte and catholite is added to form a dual ion battery cell.

(7) In a seventh embodiment the same strategy as described in the 6^th embodiment can be applied, but here the polymer foamed separator is coated on the graphite slurry at the cathode side and an Aluminum foil is added to this stack to form the KFSI dual-ion battery.

(8) In a final embodiment the invention provides single Aluminum foils with the processing of the two half cells at each side and then stacked to form a battery pack.

In summary the invention provides:

• A method of roll- or sheet-based manufacturing, based on extrusion coating and any other in-line continuous coating process, coating an arrangement of materials for use in such a battery or capacitor and finally combining before cutting those and related composition of materials comprising (i) granulates, (ii) one or more (foaming or dielectric) agents and/or coating materials.

Finally some further considerations in relation to the invention are provided below.

Throughout the description the word battery or capacitor is used but the invention also covers any part of a battery or capacitor such as any arrangement of materials for use in a battery or capacitor, including such arrangements denoted as a battery or capacitor cell, module and pack in the field.

Likewise, throughout the description the word battery or capacitor assembly is used. While assembly may read on all the necessary steps to result in a functional battery or capacitor or even a series connection of batteries or capacitors, again the invention also covers any part of a battery or capacitor, such as multilayer foil or sheet, being providable as a roll, on which subsequently (and possibly at a distant place) and depending on the required configuration further other processes such as the providing of conductors for connecting purposes or insulators for heat sinking purposes are performed on and followed by cutting the resulting foil or sheet to thereby finishing the so-called battery or capacitor module or pack, which can then further on being connected in series or parallel for the modular build-up of an energy storage solution.

Note that the energy or capacity delivery parameters are essentially determined by the length of the cut sheet while the voltage delivery parameter is essentially determined by the amount of battery cells connected in series.

PACK EMBODIMENT

Given the above provided (multi-layers) foils in accordance with the invention, the invention further enables the composing of battery packs. The large area cells, in particular, are monolithically formed battery or capacitor modules in comparison to conventionally formed battery or capacitor modules by tabbing, wiring, connecting and assembling multiple smaller battery or capacitor cells in parallel.

Figure 49 shows an exemplary embodiment with a multilayer structure, formable with the methods outlined above. Several of the above multilayer structures (which could be denoted modules) can now be stacked to form packs. In essence as schematically indicated the same (continuous) large area foil (cut at the proper length though) is used and then further stacked. With providing the proper contacts at the appropriate places of the respective outer layers, the obtained cells are de-facto connected (as required in series and/or parallel). The obtained modules can then be further connected with same or similar modules when required.

Given the above provided (multi-layers) foils (that can be considered as modules) in accordance with the invention, the invention further enables the composing of battery or capacitor packs, in particular bipolar stacked battery or capacitor packs.

The above indicated that in an embodiment of the invention one can aim for a battery or capacitor cell, comprising two foils or sheet, serving each as part of the anode or cathode respectively; and a separator and electrolyte or dielectric therein between, wherein said foils or sheets are (nearly) identical and preferably identical.

The novelty of a cell architecture as part of the invention, is its symmetry with exactly the same substrate for the current collectors or capacitor plates at both sides of the battery or capacitor cell and where the current collector or capacitor plate substrates are at the same time the substrates used in and compatible with cheap and abundantly available production capacity. In Li-ion cells, the current collector for the cathode is Al and for the anode Cu. Al cannot be used as current collector for the anode as it would dissolve in the electrolyte with the applicable strong redox potentials. Cu could be used as current collector for the cathode, but Cu is much less compatible and even not compatible with the intended mainstream production methods and is more expensive than Al. Current dual ion non rocking chair battery cells cannot use Al as current collector at the cathode side as it would in a similar way dissolve in the electrolyte with the strong applicable redox potentials.

Therefore, the invented cell architecture comprises protection layers at one or both sides of the battery cell to enable symmetrical battery cells with current collector substrates that are preferentially cheap, abundant and used in mainstream high volume production environments from unrelated sectors. Hence the cell architecture comprises two outer identical foils or sheets that are used in the cell production as substrates to coat all remaining cell components such as the protection layers, graphite layers and the separator or the dielectric in case of capacitors.

The symmetry, with Al foil as current collectors for battery cells at both sides enabled by the incorporation of cheap protection layers, has three major advantages that enables to reduce the cell unit cost drastically.

Firstly, a single Al foil can be coated, calendered, dried and cut in segments in a continuous roll to roll process using mainstream extrusion coating, liquid coating, aerosol, sputtering, evaporation and other deposition techniques used in the plastic and paper packaging as well as in the semiconductor industries. Al has good mechanical properties such as tensile strength and flexibility for cheap roll to roll processing. Al foil use is already based on 75% recycled Al and the recycling ecosystem is one of the most established among all materials. Hence the end of life cost remains cost competitive as well. So the distinctive feature of cell production enabled by the cell architecture versus current practices, is that no stacking or assembly occurs in order to finalize the complete battery cell. The avoidance of stacking or assembly at cell level greatly enhances production throughput, hence lower unit cost of the final battery cell and pack. Another distinctive feature is that the cutting of segments of the complete foil determines the capacity and energy rating of the final battery system comprising the battery cells. In other words, the foil battery cell is the monolithic equivalent of parallel connected small battery cells and assembled in what is known today as battery modules. The cost of tabbing, wiring, connecting, assembly and casing into a discrete module is completely eliminated and contributes greatly to the reduction of the unit cost of the final battery system.

The ease of cutting segments of the battery foil gives cell producers an additional competitive advantage where supply and demand in terms of capacity and energy ratings can be met instantly at the cell factory. There is no need for line reconfigurations and no need to transport battery cells to assembly factories. The same advantages hold for the capacitor arrangements.

The symmetry of the cell and the possibility to process all the cell components on a single Al foil with each half cell at both sides of the single Al foil, also allows to stack a multitude of these cells on top of each other whereby the stack volumetric and gravimetric energy and power density is exactly the same as the volumetric and gravimetric cell densities of each individual cell in the stack. In other words, the cell architecture allows the production of battery packs without the need for individual tabbing, wiring, connection, assembly and casing of the constituent battery cells greatly contributing again to the reduction of the unit cost of the final battery system. The inferior battery cell density as a result of selecting battery cell technologies that use as much as possible simple and easily fabricated coatings using cheap, abundant and easily recyclable materials is greatly compensated with the optimal battery pack density that otherwise can never be obtained when not applying the battery cell architecture. The novel battery cell architecture leads to a novel stack architecture for the battery pack of which the width and length determine the capacity and the energy rating of the final battery pack whereas the height of the stack determines the voltage and power rating.

The compact stack, where width, length and height can be easily selected in the battery cell factory across a continuum in terms of dimensions, can accommodate any available casing such as standard shipping containers, thereby realizing optimal fill factors only constrained by payload considerations for transportation. The same advantages hold for capacitor arrangements.

The battery stack can be further enhanced with an embedded cooling system whereby the outer Al foils used for the battery cells are larger than the processing area needed. The extensions in both planar directions around the final battery cell are effective heat sinks that can be complemented with a passive or active cooling system. The Al foils of the stack could reside in a chamber comprising an insulating coolant between the casing around the battery stack and an outer casing and whereby the coolant can be stationary or actively circulated and cooled via an external heat exchanger. The waste heat could be further used for energy generation or storage. The Al foils could also be further extended outside the coolant chamber exposed to the ambient temperature of air. The inner and outer casings of the coolant chamber also have excellent thermal properties to effectively evacuate together with the other constituents of the cooling system the heat generated by the stack. Furthermore, insulating layers can be coated on the edges of the current collector or capacitor plate foils before cutting the foil or sheet, the same way the other cell components are processed, but on other areas of the foil at possibly other locations in the manufacturing line. Figure 52 illustrates a stack provided with heat exchange elements. (2000) denotes a heat exchanging electrically non-conductive medium or circulating coolant (fluid, gas or air). (2010) represents a chamber (dashed line) in casing with thermally conductive walls holding the coolant. In case no such chamber is provided, the insulated AL foils or current collector or capacitor plate are exposed in ambient air. A combination of these techniques can be used. (2020) shows an electrical insulator layer but adapted for heat sinking.

Given the distinctive nature of the large area battery cells without need for assembly of a large number of small battery cells into modules and modules into packs, the battery management system and its related models, algorithms, software and hardware implementations will be fundamentally different from existing systems. The cell count is drastically reduced. Cell balancing might not be required when process variability for the cell making is reduced to a minimum threshold level. The use of a single Al foil and only a few and well known coating processes will greatly enhance minimum process variability in comparison with current practices for cell making. When cell balancing is not required, a black box approach for the modeling of the stack with the number of cells and their dimensions as a variable could lead to a fairly simple and cheap battery management system of which programmable electronics can be highly integrated, hence small form factor.

Given the cell architecture relies on the electrolyte as source for both ions to be stored at both sides of the battery cell, changes in the mass or gravity of the electrolyte while charging or discharging can be monitored to deduce the state of charge of a battery cell. Again when the process variability of the cell making across all cells is reduced below a certain threshold, the monitoring of one battery cell in the stack can be sufficient to deduce the state of charge of the full stack thereby reducing the cost of sensors, wiring and control electronics significantly. Likewise, the monitoring of the capacitance of the stack is a cheap black box approach to determine the state of health of the battery stack and its constituent battery cells when process variability in the cell making is below a certain threshold level.

For certain electrolytes, the voltage curve of the stack is expected to be very flat. This is a desirable characteristic as it contributes to a higher round-trip efficiency. With a flat voltage curve, the resolution of the voltage sampling needs to be extremely high to accurately monitor the state of charge and health of the battery stack. Therefor programmable logic based on physical models of the battery stack that enables real-time, deterministic and fast control loops will be used. In case the process variability in cell making cannot be reduced below a certain threshold level and therefore cell balancing (both electrically and thermally) in the stack is required during charging and discharging, programmable logic handling all cells will greatly enhance the cycle life of each individual cell, hence the cycle life of the stack. Finally, as mentioned earlier, the dimensions of the battery stack can be instantly selected in the battery cell factory, hence the height can be selected to match optimally the required voltage level of the grid or micro-grid coupling. In doing so, grid integration becomes easier and less expensive by avoiding transformers and converters and by using standard inverters. Hence cell making flexibility enabled by the cell architecture not only allows a broad product variety for many applications on the same cell making line, but it also allows to minimize cost at system level.

Next to the use of protective layers that allows symmetrical battery cells produced using Al foils and mainstream coating production, a truly 100% continuous inline cell making process without a single stacking or assembly step during the cell making is enabled via an inline coating process of the separator on the anode side of the same Al foil. Today battery cells are stacked by assembling the two electrodes with a separator in between. The separator today is always fabricated separately and supplied by a contractor to the cell maker. Instead of supplying a separator, a master batch that can be easily transported in bulk will be a consumable used in the cell making. When according to the state of the art, the three throughput times of the three coating processes for the protective, graphite and separator layers are quite close, a continuous roll to roll process will result in maximal throughput of the cell making process compared to current cell production. Given the simple binning of large area cells at the end of the line into stacks, the stack throughput will definitely beat the current production throughput of packs. With larger battery cells and a smaller cell count in a stack, electrolyte filling is also expected to take less time than current filling of a much larger count of small cells requiring much more complex robotics. Also the sealing of all the battery cells simply binned and stacked on top of each other is expected to be done in batches of a multitude of cells rather than the sealing of each individual cell. Likewise, the providing of necessary insulating materials around the current collectors or capacitor plates for cooling purposes avoid tedious and costly assembly afterwards.

In other words, the described large area cell architecture leads to many advantages related to the product, production and integration of the product in its environment typically grids, and foremost to cost effective levels in terms of power and energy ratings. Similar advantages holds for capacitor arrangements.

Finally, the large areas of the battery or capacitor cells that can be made by using the novel cell architecture and employing all inline roll to roll coating processes can not be made with current state of the art cell making processes which involves anyhow stacking or assembly steps. The surface dimension of the cell is constrained by the largest substrate that can be made with state of the art machinery. Especially the complexity of current and emerging coatings for the cathode as well as the anode (e.g. Si rather than graphite anodes, or Li titanate) is the limiting factor and will continue to be a limiting factor because of the very nature of the electrochemical working principles. It is extremely difficult to maintain the right stoichiometry of a complex compounded layer (mostly oxides) on larger surfaces due to process limitations. Furthermore, maintaining the same process conditions across millions of cathodes will be more challenging with larger surfaces. Therefore, the cell architecture enabling the use of mainstream proven large scale coating methods leads to cell areas that are not attainable with current state of the art cell making methods. Therefore, battery or capacitor cells much larger than 100 cm² is a novelty in itself. A cell stack or pack much larger than 100 cm2 is also non existing today. Furthermore, in principle the upper limit on the cell surface is only constrained to the longest Al foil rolls available in the industry as well as the widest rolls that can be used in coating the layers required in the battery or capacitor cell architecture. Furthermore, a cell stack or pack using double sided electrodes is also a novelty. Cells or stacks using the current collectors or capacitor plates as heat sinks is a novelty. Cells or stacks using inline coated separators is a novelty. Finally cooling systems embedded with the cell stack and the use of programmable controllers that provide real time, deterministic and safe control loops and that easily scale with a larger number of large area cells in a stack are novelties at system level. The cell architecture enables bipolar stacking leading to a transversal electronic charge flow across the whole Al foil surface as opposed to a lateral flow in current battery cells. This allows the Aluminum foils to be thinner and a more homogenous interface kinetics and heat spreading is obtained.

Next to battery cells and stacks, the method of continuous inline processing of dielectric layers is also suitable for large area super capacitors and stacks whereby on a single Aluminum foil a high dielectric coating is extrusion or liquid coated or tape casted on both sides and calendered with two other Al foils to form a dual stacked capacitor with one common capacitor plate. This process can be repeated whereby again under and above the dual stack the same dielectric is extrusion or liquid coated or tape casted and calendered with two other Aluminum foils to form a quaternary stacked super capacitor with three common plates. An n stacked capacitor would have (n-1) common plates essential to avoid air or water in between two subsequently stacked capacitors. Otherwise the permittivity of the air or water in between would drastically lower the capacitance of the whole stack. Furthermore, the method is enabling ultra high voltage super capacitors easing grid integration and eliminating power electronics such as transformers, converters and switches. The dielectric is a composite of high dielectric ceramic powders such as BaTiC>3, SrTiOs, Ba_xSri-_xTi02 and CaCusTUO^ in a polymer matrix that can be extrusion or liquid coated or tape casted on large surface Al foils. Extremely thin layers of the dielectric coating and extreme large areas can be rolled up given the flexibility of the resulting foil. As the capacitance is proportional to the permittivity of the layer and the surface of the Aluminum foils and inversely proportional to the thickness of the dielectric layer in between the Aluminum foils, this method leads to extremely high capacitance densities useful in grid applications e.g. to stabilize voltage, power quality, frequency, temporal storage, etc.... Furthermore, extremely high voltage stacked capacitors can be realized and the response and switching speeds are extremely high compared to conventional super caps or batteries used for ancillary grid services. It is also expected that the composite when well selected can demonstrate extremely high thermal stability and potentially also stress stability again contributing to high Q factors, hence power quality in the grids. Needless to mention that the cell is much simpler in comparison to the symmetrical cell architecture proposed for batteries especially given the solid nature of the layer in between the Aluminum foils and the fact that no leakage and corrosivity issues are present making those devices extremely safe in comparison with conventional super caps using electrolytes. Furthermore, given the use of mainstream roll to roll, cutting and binning manufacturing methods, the fast scaling and doubling of manufacturing capacity in the plastic packaging industry, these super caps will have definitely an order of magnitude lower capacitance and power unit costs than any super cap technology presently available in the market. Given the modular nature of the storage unit, cost effective mass storage becomes possible and storage units can be easily transported to another location in the grid when desired.

The above considerations can be reformulated as follows:

In a further embodiment thereof in this battery cell at least one of said foils or sheet, preferably both, are provided with a protection layer to protect against dissolvement of (part of) said foil or sheet in the electrolyte.

Within those concepts of the battery cells one may elect to implement a dual ion cell.

It is also worth noting that in the above battery cells the anode and/or cathode are designed for simultaneous acting as charge storage and current collection, more in particular said charge storage function being provided by use of graphite deposition processing to thereby create an active layer.

In an exemplary embodiment the cathode and/or the anode, preferably both, is based on a Al foil, preferably provided with protection layer provided on top thereof.

In a further advantageous embodiment the cathode and/or the anode, preferably both, are used as heat sink (by designing the surface of the current collectors or capacitor plates such that those are larger than the active area of the cell and designed for exposure to ambient air and/or for soaking in an (electrically insulating) coolant, possible in combination with active circulation of the coolant). These current collectors or capacitor foils can be first provided with insulating layers at the edges before cutting. It is also worth emphasizing that the above outlines approaches enabling manufacturing of battery or capacitor cells wherein the anode and cathode surface exceeds 100 cm².

Note that the above approaches enable manufacturing of foils or sheets which may be considered as half-cells, in that when properly combined defines cells. Within such approach those battery cells will share a common foil or sheet as current collector or capacitor plate.

Therefor one may consider a battery or capacitor arrangement, up to even a pack, comprising a plurality of battery or capacitor cells, wherein subsequent battery or capacitor cells share a foil or sheet.

With reference to the exemplary embodiment above the invention also discloses an Al foil or sheet, suitable for use in a battery or capacitor cell (or the monolithic equivalent of a module), as anode or cathode, characterized that said foil or sheet is provided with a protection layer, especially on the cathode side.

In a further embodiment thereof said foil or sheet is supplemented with a graphite deposition, to thereby create an active layer to provide a charge storage function.

The above mentioned foil or sheet is hence typically provided with said one or more of said layers on both sides, and preferably also provided with said separator.

The related manufacturing methods for said (nearly) identical foil cells can be described as follows:

The invention indeed provides a method of roll or sheet based manufacturing an arrangement of materials for use in a battery or capacitor cell, comprising the steps of: (i) providing a (carrier) material, suitable to act as anode or cathode, as a sheet or foil; (ii) providing one or more further materials on said material.

In a first embodiment said further material is suitable to act as separator, preferably said further material is adapted to endure the presence of electrolyte.

In a second embodiment said further material is suitable to act as active material within a battery to provide a charge storage function.

In a third embodiment said further material is suitable to act as protective layer on said (carrier) material (to protect against dissolvement of (part of) said foil or sheet in the electrolyte).

Based on the above the invention also discloses a method to manufacture a battery or capacitor (cell), comprising (a) executing of any and one or more of the methods described above a first time (in consecutive steps); (b) executing of any and one or more of those methods a second time on the other side of the (carrier) material used in step (a).

For sake of completeness, for the invented storage devices (battery (cell), capacitor) with its structural and/or electrical characteristics, alternative and more suitable monitoring and/or control methods can be used, leveraging on those characteristics.

Therefore the invention further relates to:

• State-of-charge / discharge capacity monitoring via indirect specific gravity monitoring through hydrostatic pressure and/or other float level measurements of the electrolyte. By measuring (semi-) continuously the height of the liquid and the hydrostatic pressure in one or multiple points, the changing electrolyte density is obtained. In essence two small sensors probing the liquid in one or several or all cells in a stack are used. Given that the source of the dual ions is the electrolyte, a sensible change in the electrolyte density will occur from discharged to charged states and vice versa. Measuring the curve that relates electrolyte density with the capacity of the cell provides the model to be used in a BMS (battery measurement system). Especially seen that the voltage curve of the KFSI cell is extremely flat, the voltage method is useless unless you can monitor voltage changes with extreme high resolutions which requires high performance based micro controllers not available today. On top it might be necessary to monitor cell voltages instead of stack voltages and with a larger number of cells the computing requirements of controllers become even more challenging, hence expensive.

• The invention also presents state-of-charge / discharge capacity monitoring via use of a voltage controlling real-time programmable logic using ultra high voltage resolution to be able to monitor capacity on the flat voltage curve of KFSI cells or stacks (stacks need higher resolutions than cells as the absolute value is higher at stack level so same deviations are much smaller percentages than at cell level). The programming of the logic can be based on detailed characterization based on prior method (using hydrostatic pressure and at least one other accurate float level measurement technique) even considering ageing with characterization across an accelerated ageing cycle life. The incorporation of ageing data in the programming of the logic has the advantage of not having to calibrate during the lifespan, hence avoid maintenance on site. Also characterization of a multitude of cells and simultaneous high resolution monitoring of the stack voltage could reveal an accurate black box monitoring method at stack level which would reduce considerably Fl/W and S/W expenses. Note that the larger the cells in area, the more variabilities are cancelled out leading to effective black box control at stack level.

• The invention further presents charging / discharging controller based on the same programmable platform. Next to voltage monitoring above during characterization, also capacitance and currents are monitored to generate additional datasets for the programming of the logic in order to optimize cycle life of cells, hence stacks.

• The invention further presents state of health monitoring based on the same programmable platform based on capacity monitoring towards highest saturating voltage level.

The invention provides an advantageous use of the programmable logic approach in that proprietary datasets, generated specifically related to each electrolyte used in the proposed cells, are used, in particular for the dual ion single (dual) graphite battery arrangements described though out the entire description.

As said lot of the considerations above can be made also for a capacitor in which case a dielectric layer is provided instead of a separator.

The invention hence provides arrangements of materials or semi-finished or intermediate goods (as shown in Figure 3, 5, 6, 8 lower left corner) for use in a battery (cell), comprising a (carrier) material, suitable to act as identical current collector for both anode and cathode, as a sheet or foil, wherein either at least one composite structure or at least one protection layer is part of either the anode or cathode or both and applied directly on said (carrier) material or acting itself as the identical current collector for both anode and cathode, the composite structure being a complex (layered, compounded, alloyed, meshed, perforated, roughened or laminated with a rough or roughened carrier) structure, denoted composite structure in the description and the material, structure being suitable for use in roll to roll manufacturing of either said anode or cathode; wherein said anode or said cathode being coated with one or more coatings (of an active layer), like graphite, graphene, silicon, metal transition oxides or any suitable combination thereof.

The invention further provides arrangement of materials or semi-finished or intermediate goods (as shown in Figure 1, 2, 4) for use in a battery (cell), comprising a (carrier) material, suitable to act as anode or cathode, as a sheet or foil, wherein either said anode or said cathode being of a complex (layered, compounded, alloyed, meshed, perforated, roughened or laminated with a rough or roughened carrier) structure denoted composite structure in the description and the material, structure being suitable for use in roll to roll manufacturing of either said anode or cathode, wherein said foil or sheet is provided with a protection layer (Cu, non-metallic layers such as a.o. TiN, CrN, or their equivalent or other carbides, their or other tertiary or higher order nitride or carbide equivalents, metallic layers such as a.o.Tungsten, Molybdene, Al, Cu, stainless steel or any of the aforementioned composites (with a polymer binder) or glassy carbon) to protect (or being (corrosion resistant and oxidative stable) against dissolvement of (part of) said foil or sheet in the electrolyte or against alloying with active species from the electrolyte.

The invention also provides combinations of the above arrangements.

In the arrangement of materials of any of the previous examples the cathode or the anode may be based on a Al foil or the composite structure itself acting as the current collector.

In the arrangement of materials of the above mentioned example preferably only one composite structure is used.

In the arrangement of materials of any of the previous examples, the cathode or the anode, are used as heat sink (by designing the surface of the current collectors such that those are larger than the active area of the cell and designed for exposure to ambient air and/or for soaking in an (electrically insulating) coolant, possible in combination with active circulation of the coolant), possibly provided by an insulating but thermally conducting layer at the edges outside the active area on the current collectors before cutting the foil.

Together with or without enabling protective layers, a protection, current and heat transferring, current collecting, sensing, thermal management composite structures embedded in battery cell anodes and/or cathodes enabling symmetrical battery cells with the same current collectors at both anode and cathode side and whereby the current collectors, as foil or sheet, are suitable for large web roll to roll processing of subsequent layers for semi-finished battery cell arrangements or for final battery cells that can be easily binned to form high voltage bipolar stacks of the corresponding semi finished battery cell arrangements or final battery cells or to form a conventional container sized rolled-up high energy battery cell or its corresponding parallel bi-cell version. Preferably the protective layers and/or the composite structure shall enable Al foil or the foil version of a polymer composite structure to function both at the anode and cathode side as identical current collectors, both materials being widely used in or being suitable for the plastic packaging industry with extrusion and extrusion coating used for subsequent layers being a global mainstream low cost methods. The protective layers and/or the composite structures altogether are an enabling arrangement for battery cells to ensure cost-effective production of battery arrangements for stationary grid scale applications. Preferably all layers in a battery cell are processed using large web extrusion or extrusion coating, even the separator, with the likely exception for battery active materials such as graphite, silicon, graphene, oxides, phosphates, etc... that in general would be applied on the protective layers and/or on the composite structure via liquid coating or casting. Also the protective layers could be in general applied via vapor deposition (PVD, CVD) or sputtering techniques and from those methods preferably roll to roll large web atmospheric methods such as Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition or High Power Induced Magnetron Sputtering should be used.

Functional (multi)-layered or monolithic (multi) partitioned (multi) patterned structure of (semi)conductive, thermally conductive and/or insulating and/or (electro)chemically stable elements in a polymer (extrude or extrusion coated, tape casted, molded, ... ) with or without additional protective layers altogether or separately serving as current collector, as protector for the current collector, as current transferor between the active electrode layer and the current collector in battery cells at anode and/or cathode side next to or in between other electrically conductive or electrode active metallic and/or non-metallic, inorganic, organic or hybrid layers.

The composite structure might comprise or not

• embedded channels for sensor insertions a.o. naked glass or plastic optical fibers with at least one Bragg gradient and preferably terminated at both ends with optical engines comprising or not semiconductor or photonic components for optical and electrical communication with the battery management system; such optical engines preferably comprising also fiber guidance structures for optimal coupling with laser and detector openings, fiber insertion structures for ease of fiber assembly and fiber fixtures to hold the fiber stretched in the channels in order not to touch the inner walls of the channels as to keep a homogenous and constant refractive index at the outer wall of the naked fiber, possibly channels are filled with a gel with low and constant refractive index; alternatively the inner walls of the channels are functionalized as to obtain a constant and low refractive index compared to the index of the naked fiber inserted; least favorably cladded fibers are used; both single mode or multimode fibers may be used; both simplex or duplex transmission of signals may be applied on this fibers;

• embedded channels for thermal management using air or liquids in passive or active cooling or heating systems connected with the thermal management system of the battery pack comprising battery cells with such protective layers and/or composite structures; preferably the inner walls of the channels treated to increase the ease of flow of the coolants a.o. plasma treatments or frictionless coatings; • The above composite structure might comprise areas of different compositions and concentrations of electrically (semi) conductive elements, thermally conductive or insulating elements and/or positively and/or negatively charged carriers in between conductive layers; possibly channels in different areas or volumes of the composite structure may be filled with conducting materials or the inner walls are functionalized with conductive coatings to form additional functional devices or connection schemes for a.o. cell balancing purposes of such cells in a battery pack;

• Likewise the above composite structure might comprise dielectric elements, electrically (semi)-conductive, thermally conductive or insulating elements that serves as the dielectric (foil or sheet) component between two conductive plates, as foil or sheet, in capacitors and may comprise similar channels, layouts, structures and elements as the one mentioned above.

• The channels can be organized in whatever 2D or 3D layout across the volume of the composite structure, arrayed, gridded, interdigitated, clustered, over partial or full composite structure dimensions, etc... and the signals in the fibers or the flow of the coolants can be any in both directions and possibly alternate from channel to channel across the 2D or 3D layout as to form a dense resolution of monitoring or actuation areas a.o. to detect hotspots and cure those selectively or to generate a.o. a real-time temperature map across the surfaces at each electrode for adaptive control and regulation of a.o. the temperature, strain and pressure gradients across the battery cell and bipolar stacks or modules and packs comprising those cells or bring the cells and battery arrangements to required performance levels for the envisaged application such as a.o. maximum power availability or longest duration discharging at minimum required power levels.

• In addition to the composite structure or standalone, either at the anode or cathode or both, coated protective layers of Cu, TiN, CrN, Tungsten, Mo, Glassy Carbon or any other electrically and thermally conductive, chemically resistant and electrochemically stable layers directly applied on the current collector or the composite structure are claimed for the current collectors in dual ion battery cells as well as for the current collectors in Li-ion or Li-metal battery cells to enable symmetrical cells with Al (or any functional foil that allows large web roll-to-roll processing of subsequent layers of a cell) foil for both current collectors and hence bipolar stacks of such cells as well as production of semi-finished products of primed Al foil at either side or both sides of the Al foil or any foil or sheet that allows large web roll to roll processing of subsequent layers for a bipolar stack. Likewise composite structures, preferably polymer composite structures, comprising a.o. Cu, TiN, CrN, Tungsten, Mo, Glassy Carbon in whatever form preferably nano or micron sized particles are also claimed as a protection layer for current collectors or as a current collector in the same battery arrangements and types as mentioned above. Any battery arrangement comprising battery cells with such protective layers and/or composite structures are claimed. Extrusion or extrusion coating for the production of composite structures are preferred.

Figure 30: Element (3000) illustrates, with or without a 2D or 3D layout of fiber, cooling means, more in particular electrically conductive or insulating channels in the longitudinal direction, preferably plasma treated inside to increase capillarity for cooling or heating channels and possibly a gel, filling or coating inside fiber channels for constant and ultra-low refractive indexing at the fiber interface (the lower the index the smaller the channels can be). Conductive or insulating channels can be filled, or inner walls functionalized with electrically more conductive or insulating materials. Channels can be processed inline in R2R a.o. via extrusion. Element (3010) illustrates fiber channels next to cooling and more electrically conductive or insulating channels in 2D or 3D a.o. close to the TiN layer for a.o. independent T sensing of cathode side and fiber channels a.o. close to Al for a.o. independent T sensing of anode side next to strain and other cell parameters to monitor SoC, SoP, SoE or SoH. Independent a.o. temperature and strain measurement data can be used to compensate cell data measurements a.o. temperature, strain and pressure measurements in between anode and cathode via calculations in the BM5. E.g. pressure measurements done with Bragg gradients on fibers inserted in between anode and cathode are influenced by the temperature around the Bragg gradient.

Figure 31. (3100) shows Al foil as carrier for large format coating and as current collector even at the anode side of Li-ion cells: conventional (with side tabs) and bipolar (with top and bottom electrodes).

Both Al foils (3110) can be the same to form a symmetrical cell for bipolar stacking and to be able to process a laminate with (identical) (complex) (multi)-layered protection on each side followed by e.g. active layer coatings and separator (coating) and applicable to ail other cell configurations and semi finished goods

Figure 32, 33 and 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 shows an embodiment with side tabs and being bipolar (with top and bottom electrodes) while Figure 42 shows an asymmetrical configuration a.o. long cells rolled- up standalone or in a parallel bi-cell configuration and Figure 43 provides a parallel bi-cell configuration

Figure 34 and 35 shows semi-finished goods category I and II respectively as discussed before. In summary the invention relates to a method of roll or sheet based manufacturing an arrangement of materials for use in a battery (cell), comprising the steps of: (i) providing a (carrier) material, suitable to act as anode or cathode, as a sheet or foil; (ii) providing one or more further materials on said material. The further material should be suitable to act as active material within a battery to provide a charge storage function, wherein said charge storage place function being provided by use of graphite deposition processing to thereby create an active layer. Alternatively said further material should be suitable to act as protective layer on said (carrier) material (to protect against dissolvement of (part of) said foil or sheet in the electrolyte). In a preferred embodiment a first further material, suitable to act as protective layer on said (carrier) material (to protect against dissolvement of (part of) said foil or sheet in the electrolyte) is provided and thereafter a second further material, suitable to act as active material within a battery to provide a charge storage function, wherein said charge storage place function being provided by use of graphite deposition processing to thereby create an active layer. In a preferred embodiment either said anode or said cathode or both are of a complex (layered, compounded, alloyed, meshed, perforated, roughened (to increase the contact surface for active layer loading) or laminated with a rough or roughened carrier) structure. The invention further discloses a method to manufacture a battery (cell), comprising (a) executing of any and one or more of the methods a first time (in consecutive steps); (b) executing of any and one or more of the methods a second time on the other side of the (carrier) material used in step (a). The invention relates to arrangements of materials for use in a battery (cell), comprising a (carrier) material, suitable to act as anode or cathode, as a sheet or foil, wherein either said anode or said cathode being of a complex (layered, compounded, alloyed, meshed, perforated, roughened or laminated with a rough or roughened carrier) structure and the material, structure being suitable for use in roll to roll manufacturing of either said anode or cathode; wherein said anode or said cathode being provided with one or more coatings and further to arrangements of materials for use in a battery (cell), comprising a (carrier) material, suitable to act as anode or cathode, as a sheet or foil, wherein either said anode or said cathode being of a complex (layered, compounded, alloyed, meshed, perforated, roughened or laminated with a rough or roughened carrier) structure and the material, structure being suitable for use in roll to roll manufacturing of either said anode or cathode, wherein said foil or sheet is provided with a protection layer (a.o. Cu, TiN, CrN, Tungsten, Molybdene, glassy carbon) to protect (or being (corrosion resistant and electrochemically stable) against dissolvement of (part of) said foil or sheet in the electrolyte. In an embodiment the anode or cathode are designed for simultaneous acting as charge storage and current collection. In an embodiment said charge storage function is provided by use of graphite deposition processing to thereby create an active layer. In an exemplary embodiment the cathode or the anode is based on an Al foil, preferably provided with protection layer provided on top thereof.

In a preferred embodiment the arrangement of materials discussed is such that the cathode or the anode, are used as heat sink (by designing the surface of the current collectors such that those are larger than the active area of the cell and designed for exposure to ambient air and/or for soaking in an (electrically insulating) coolant, possible in combination with active circulation of the coolant), possibly provided by an insulating but thermally conducting layer at the edges outside the active area on the current collectors before cutting the foil.

In essence the invention relates to a cell or device for electrical energy storage, as found in batteries and/or capacitors, hence also denoted as battery cell and/or capacitor cell, with desired functionalities as discussed such as those related to cell-balancing, or in general electrical management, is a method of controlling a cell or device based on current or voltage control, taking into account the cell or device influence in a chain or stack of cells or devices, connected in series or in parallel.

Claims

1. A method of roll or sheet based manufacturing an arrangement of materials for use in an electrical energy storage device, cell or cell component, comprising the steps of: providing with an extrusion (coating) process a material (possibly on a carrier material), suitable to act as current collector, as a (sheet or) foil (being part of a roll or coil), characterized in that said material comprises (or embeds) at least one and preferably a plurality of channels, suitable for device, cell or cell component condition sensing (such as temperature and strain) and/or electrical management and/or thermal management.

2. The method of claim 1, further providing with one or more (extrusion or liquid) coating processes one or more further materials on said material, preferably on each side thereof, to form a multi layered (partial) electrode structure, preferably a common structure (as part) of both the positive and the negative electrode of a cell or device while the structure preferably remains suitable for further use in roll to roll manufacturing and/or shipment in coil formats.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, comprising (as part of an (extrusion) (coating) process) a step of providing the current collector with heatsinking edges, by an (electrically) insulating but thermally conducting layer at the edges outside the active area of the cell on the current collector before cutting the foil or rolling up the foil into a coil.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said further material, suitable to act as active or dielectric material within the cell to provide a charge storage or dielectric function, wherein said charge storage or dielectric function being provided by use of a coating process to thereby create an active or dielectric layer, such deposited material preferably being graphite or any other intercalating material (such as Silicon containing graphite layers) or adsorptive material (such as Graphene, polymers such as PEDOT) or a combination of intercalating and adsorptive materials, next to binders, conductive agents or any other additives to form an adequate mixture for the coating process.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said further material, suitable to act as protective layer on said material or further material (to protect against dissolvement or corrosion of (part of) said material or further materials (of said foil or sheet) in the electrolyte).

6. The method of claim 2, wherein a first further material, suitable to act as protective layer on said material or further material (to protect against dissolvement or corrosion of (part of) said material or further materials (of said foil or sheet) in the electrolyte) is provided and thereafter a second further material, suitable to act as active or dielectric material within the cell to provide a charge storage or dielectric function, wherein said charge storage place or dielectric function being provided by use of a (coating or deposition) process to thereby create an active or dielectric layer.

7. An electrical energy storage cell, device, any sub-assembly or semi-finished good as part of such cell or device comprising: (i) a positive electrode, and/or (ii) a negative electrode, and/or (iii) a separator, in between said electrodes, and/or (iv) an electrolyte, in between said electrodes, wherein one single layer, film or coating, as part of (the multi-layer structure of) the positive or negative electrode or both, or common to both, being characterized in that the single layer, film or coating comprises (or embeds) at least one, and preferably a plurality of channels completely inside the single layer, film or coating, with or without in- and/or outlets, open and/or closed at either or both sides suitable for device, cell, electrode, cell or electrode component lower weight condition and/or lower material consumption and/or condition sensing (such as temperature and strain) and/or electrical management and/or thermal management.

8. The cell, device or any sub-assembly or semi-finished good of claim 7, wherein either said positive or negative electrode or both being of a multi-layered structure while the structure being suitable for further use in roll to roll manufacturing and/or shipment in coil format thereof.

9. The cell, device, any sub-assembly or semi-finished good of any of the previous claims, wherein the single layer, film or coating being adapted and/or coated to increase the contact surface for current collecting, current transfer, active material loading or solid electrolyte interface layer coating.

10. The cell, device, any sub-assembly or semi-finished good of any of the previous claims, wherein the single layer, film or coating being adapted and/or coated to decrease the internal (electrical and/or thermal) resistance for current collection or current transfer within said arrangements.

11. The cell, device, any sub-assembly or semi-finished good of any of the previous claims, wherein said single layer, film or coating acts as a protective (to protect against dissolvement or corrosion of (part of) said arrangements in the electrolyte) resistant (chemically and/or electrochemically stable) and/or mechanically ductile (at least electrical and/or thermal) conductive layer, wherein said single layer, film or coating is provided (inside) with further material being selected from the group of Cu, TiN, T1B2, C^N, Tungsten, Molybdenum, glassy carbon, carbon black, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanowires, carbon nanorods, graphite, graphene and/or any carbonaceous materials suitable thereof, or any mixes of said materials, either as a precursor in physical or chemical deposition methods, sprays, liquid coatings, printing, plasma coatings on said single layer, film or coating or as a filler in polymer compounds acting as said single layer, film or coating.

12. An arrangement of materials for use in an electrical energy storage cell, device, any sub-assembly or semi-finished good suitable to act as current collector or current transfer layer, characterized in that such arrangement comprises (or embeds) at least one, and preferably a plurality of channels, suitable for device, cell, electrode, cell or electrode component lower weight condition and/or lower material consumption and/or condition sensing (such as temperature and strain) and/or electrical management and/or thermal management..

13. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein said current collector or current transfer layer being of a multi-layered structure while the structure being suitable for use in roll to roll manufacturing and/or shipment in coil format thereof.

14. The arrangement of claim 12 or 13, wherein said current collector or current transfer layer being adapted to increase the contact surface current collecting, current transfer, active material loading or solid electrolyte interface layer coating.

15. The arrangement of claim 12, 13 or 14 wherein said current collector or current transfer layer being adapted or coated to decrease internal (electrical and/or thermal) resistance for current collection or current transfer.

16. The arrangement of claim 12, 13, 14 or 15, wherein said current collector or current transfer layer is provided with a protective layer (to protect against dissolvement of (part of) said current collector in the electrolyte), selected from the group of Cu, TiN, T1B2, C^N, Tungsten, Molybdenum, glassy carbon, carbon black, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanowires, carbon nanorods, graphite, graphene and/or any carbonaceous materials suitable thereof, or any mixes of said materials, either as a precursor in physical or chemical deposition methods, sprays, liquid coatings, printing, plasma coatings on said current collector or current transfer layer or as a filler in polymer compounds acting as said current collector or transfer layer.

17. The arrangement of materials of any of the previous claims being provided in a roll to enable further roll to roll manufacturing of cells and/or further shipment in coil format.